I have two tattoos. Both of them I got at significant points in my life. The first one, I got just shy of my 21st birthday back in 2007 (as in a few weeks later, I turned 21), after I had been living away from my parents for the first time. I marked my final "coming of age" with it.

The second one, which I got earlier this year, I got after I wrote 60,000 word of novel in NaNoWriMo in 2012, securing my second consecutive win and crossing a personal milestone for myself.

I'm currently paying an artist friend of mine to design one of my upcoming tattoos, which I'm getting to signify one year of living in the city I live in, having moved out of my hometown for good back in 2012. This will be a Transformers character that I really admire, done in the style of a pinup girl from the 1950s.

The next tattoo I'm getting after that is one of my own design, and it's based on both the Autobot insignia, and a calavera. This one will signify the new job I got back in July, which I've been doing quite well at and that I really enjoy.

Eventually, I will be getting a runic compass on my shoulder, and possibly a few other runic tattoos, depending on how things go.

I also have plans for many more Transformers-themed tattoos, since the series has been such a big part of my life ever since I was 3 years old.

My parents do not approve of me having my tattoos, but they have, at least, chosen not to comment, as I save up my money for my ink. I love tattoos, because they're an expression of a personality, a heritage, and of living artwork.

I remember I used to want one so bad when I was younger.
They're cool, and they surely have to have a special meaning. For example, one of my friends has a butterfly tatoo with the names of her and her sister.
But then I tought: one day I'll die. My body will vanish like ashes. And then, who would be able to see the meaning of a tatoo? So I decided to take my special meaning in my heart, instead of my body.

... but I still think they're cool. xD

I would love to have a piece of art on me, but when I see people who just had their 18 birthday (that's the year when you can do tattoos in my country) and they go and do any stupid thing they want, it makes me go 'ugh'. Of course, I don't say anything, because it's their body and their choice, I just think the year limit should be bigger.

I mean, tattooing should be like painting, but some people treat it like some kind of a show-off opportunity and just disrespectful.

I LOVE tattoos. I think they look hot. I love how people look covered in them. I also have a conservative side. I love how people look with none. I hate when people only have one or a few small ones. My stance is go big or go home. I used to want to be covered in them. I'm an all or nothing type of person. One day, I realized that if I covered myself, or any part of myself, in tattoos, I would never get to see that part of me age and change. The human body is an individual piece of artwork in and of itself. One that I very much appreciate.

I have 7 tattoos, my first I got at only 15 and I still like some of them that are on hidden places but I have one on each wrist and another on my forearm that I kinda regret...but I think if people want to have them done, it's their bodies and their choice to make, not any of my business really :)

I don't have tattoos and hate them. I mean really it reminds me of cattle markings!

and so... permanent. ughhhhhh... I actually saw a tattoo on someone that forces you to look at her butt crack AND I'M STRAIGHT!

Hamda wrote:I don't have tattoos and hate them. I mean really it reminds me of cattle markings!

and so... permanent. ughhhhhh... I actually saw a tattoo on someone that forces you to look at her butt crack AND I'M STRAIGHT!

Good grief. That is... I have no words for that.

I personally find it 'unnatural' to you know get tattooed because it's basically putting ink in your skin and I guess that kinda grosses me out/scares me. I guess that's where my dislike for them comes from. I don't really care if other people have tattoos, though I think that lots of peoples take tattoos for the wrong reasons or when they are drunk and then regret it later on.
Ironically I love watching shows like LA Ink and hear stories behind BEAUTIFUL tattoos.

My brother got a tattoo a few years ago, in Hebrew we're not anything close to religious or have anything to do with Hebrew, which I personally find a little weird, but his body his choise. It's text that is supposed to say the name of Archangel Gabriel or something, I'm not sure. It's on the 'inside' of his bottom arm which means he can't ever wear short sleeves to his work. He works in a prison, which can get really hot.

I used to be really indifferent towards them (maybe a little wary), now I think they can be cool and absolutely gorgeous if they're done well. I also used to be certain I would never get one because I HATE needles, and yet now I have ideas for two... (though the second one came up really recently)
So I don't really have any issues with them anymore unless they're really kind of... tacky? Generally I think it's better to know what you want and to think about it a lot and know the artist, seeing as it is permanent. I don't think they should always have some deep sort of meaning, necessarily, so long as the person involved wants it.

I have a friend who has numerous ones, and when he was talking about them once he said something like it's interesting to see, for people who get them for a particular reason, where they choose to get certain ones and how they settle into someone's skin.